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Death rate from pneumonia in South Africa

South Africa: Death rate from pneumonia was 55.35 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. ▬ Flat

Latest (2021)
55.35 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
down 8.4%
World rank
42nd
of 194 countries
All-time high
78.52 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2010
All-time low
54.13 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2000
Years of data
22
2000–2021

Death rate from pneumonia in South Africa, 2000–2021

0204060802000201020212000: 54.1 deaths per 100,000 people2001: 55.2 deaths per 100,000 people2002: 60.2 deaths per 100,000 people2003: 64.8 deaths per 100,000 people2004: 66.3 deaths per 100,000 people2005: 67 deaths per 100,000 people2006: 70.8 deaths per 100,000 people2007: 73.4 deaths per 100,000 people2008: 73.2 deaths per 100,000 people2009: 69.8 deaths per 100,000 people2010: 78.5 deaths per 100,000 people2011: 71.2 deaths per 100,000 people2012: 70.5 deaths per 100,000 people2013: 68.7 deaths per 100,000 people2014: 68.2 deaths per 100,000 people2015: 66.8 deaths per 100,000 people2016: 64.6 deaths per 100,000 people2017: 62.6 deaths per 100,000 people2018: 63.5 deaths per 100,000 people2019: 63.7 deaths per 100,000 people2020: 60.4 deaths per 100,000 people2021: 55.4 deaths per 100,000 people

Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 55.35 deaths per 100,000 people for death rate from pneumonia in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.4% on the previous year and down 22.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, death rate from pneumonia in South Africa peaked at 78.52 deaths per 100,000 people in 2010 and was at its lowest, 54.13 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2000.

That places South Africa 42nd out of 194 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.

Death rate from pneumonia in South Africa, year by year

Year deaths per 100,000 people Change
2000 54.13 deaths per 100,000 people —
2001 55.22 deaths per 100,000 people +2.0%
2002 60.21 deaths per 100,000 people +9.0%
2003 64.79 deaths per 100,000 people +7.6%
2004 66.35 deaths per 100,000 people +2.4%
2005 67.03 deaths per 100,000 people +1.0%
2006 70.78 deaths per 100,000 people +5.6%
2007 73.39 deaths per 100,000 people +3.7%
2008 73.23 deaths per 100,000 people -0.2%
2009 69.8 deaths per 100,000 people -4.7%
2010 78.52 deaths per 100,000 people +12.5%
2011 71.23 deaths per 100,000 people -9.3%
2012 70.45 deaths per 100,000 people -1.1%
2013 68.7 deaths per 100,000 people -2.5%
2014 68.21 deaths per 100,000 people -0.7%
2015 66.82 deaths per 100,000 people -2.0%
2016 64.63 deaths per 100,000 people -3.3%
2017 62.64 deaths per 100,000 people -3.1%
2018 63.46 deaths per 100,000 people +1.3%
2019 63.66 deaths per 100,000 people +0.3%
2020 60.41 deaths per 100,000 people -5.1%
2021 55.35 deaths per 100,000 people -8.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 65.49 deaths per 100,000 people 54.13 deaths per 100,000 people 73.39 deaths per 100,000 people 10
2010s 67.83 deaths per 100,000 people 62.64 deaths per 100,000 people 78.52 deaths per 100,000 people 10
2020s 57.88 deaths per 100,000 people 55.35 deaths per 100,000 people 60.41 deaths per 100,000 people 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 39 Malaysia 57.82 deaths per 100,000 people compare
  2. 39 Niue 57.82 deaths per 100,000 people compare
  3. 41 Portugal 55.81 deaths per 100,000 people compare
  4. 43 Haiti 54.48 deaths per 100,000 people compare
  5. 44 Gambia 53.22 deaths per 100,000 people compare
  6. 45 South Korea 52.94 deaths per 100,000 people compare

See the full ranking of 194 places →

More health data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is death rate from pneumonia in South Africa?
Death rate from pneumonia in South Africa was 55.35 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, according to World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest death rate from pneumonia recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 78.52 deaths per 100,000 people in 2010.
What is the lowest death rate from pneumonia recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 54.13 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000.
How does South Africa rank for death rate from pneumonia?
South Africa ranks 42nd out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
Is death rate from pneumonia rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 22.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate from pneumonia. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Death rate from pneumonia in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/death-rate-from-pneumonia-ghe/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Death rate from pneumonia
Unit
deaths per 100,000 people
Source
World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
194 places, 4,268 data points, 2000–2021
Last refreshed

Estimated number of deaths from lower respiratory infections in both sexes, per 100,000 people.